Keeping You Warm
by fireeternal13
Summary: Mistoffelees' short fur certainly isn't suitable for the cold Winter nights ahead, but he is struggling to find a suitable den. The Rum Tum Tugger can think of many ways he'd like to keep the smaller tom warm.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, or any of the characters.

Mistoffelees shivered, his short black fur making it difficult for him to stay warm during the Winter months. It was dark, and the nights was always so much colder; at least some bleak sunlight would deign to shine during the day. He'd been struggling to find a den, finding only a small cardboard box. It was shelter, but drafty and barely big enough to lie in, let alone stand. Rubbing his head on his shoulder try to warm himself, he curled into his body, still quivering. Breathing deeply, he tried to fall asleep, but the cold cut in to his skin too sharply. Groaning, Mistoffelees shifted again, swiveling his head and hips, uncoiling and recoiling himself trying to find an impossible way to block out the cold. As he did so, the tux heard something. It sounded like wood creaking. Deciding it was just the wind, he returned to his attempts to keep himself warm, but it sounded again, echoing amongst the small piles of junk in the yard.

Mistoffelees leapt to his feet, regretting it almost immediately; the wind bit at him, as though it were it were trying to kill him off with frostbite. He shook himself vigorously, frantically looking around the clearing all the while. Suddenly, he caught sight of a hint of long fur behind a wooden crate. Grinning a little, the small tom made his way over quietly, and arched his back to gain a better view of the Rum Tum Tugger lying behind the crate, who seemed to be having no problem with the chill. He was curled up loosely, his smirk still in place, even whilst he slept. Mistoffelees smiled softly; he found the bigger tom's ability to remain cocky, even when asleep, relatively amusing.

The Rum Tum Tugger didn't stay asleep much longer, though. Despite Mistoffelees' attempt to remain quiet, the Maine Coon opened his eyes blearily, groggily aware that he was being watched. The tux's smile vanished as he shifted backwards quickly, but the Rum Tum Tugger had seen him.

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, the cat looked over at the smaller tom, eyebrows raised and a grin beginning to spread across his face, "Enjoying the view, are we Mr. Mistoffelees?" His tone rang with sarcasm, making annoyance build up in the black cat's throat,  
"Just wondering who was purring so loudly. Should've known it would be you." He turned to walk away, but the wind caught him in the face and his entire body shivered violently, "Alright there, Misto?" The Rum Tum Tugger moved closer to him, Mistoffelees rolling his eyes, "I'm fine. We don't all have ridiculously long fur to keep us warm."

"Hey, hey! What's with all the hostility? My fur can't be that ridiculous if it keeps me from the uncomfortable state you seem to have found yourself in," He nodded at the tux's trembling legs, who sighed deeply. He opened his mouth to reply, but the bigger cat cut him off, "Where's your den, anyway?" Mistoffelees blushed a little, embarrassed at his inability to find a suitable den, but nodded towards the small box he'd taken refuge in earlier that night. Tugger raised a cocky eyebrow, "I do hope you don't mean that rotten old cardboard box," Mistoffelees shrugged, still embarrassed, and annoyed that he felt humiliated by the Tom. Tugger gave him a suggestive look,"I could keep you warm, you know," Mistoffelees rolled his eyes exasperatedly,  
"Thanks for the offer, Tugger, but no know thanks. My box is quite alright for me," and with that, he skunk off back to his drafts little den, curled up, and ignored the gaze of the Rum Tum Tugger.

What he couldn't ignore, however, was that the cold really did seem to have it out for him that night. He changed position as often as he could, trying to keep his movements energetic to generate heat, until he felt a soft nuzzle on his head fur. Looking up sharply, Mistoffelees saw the Rum Tum Tugger smirking down at him. Irritated, the smaller tom leapt up, confused and now colder then he already had been. Tugger smiled a knowing smile and began to walk away, calling over his shoulder, "You can come sleep in my den," he turned his head fully, "If you can fight the urge to jump me while I sleep," Rolling his eyes for the third time, Mistoffelees scowled, but he couldn't deny he was in desperate need of somewhere warmer. Swallowing his pride, the little black cat made his way after the Rum Tum Tugger, quickly catching up to him, "Why weren't you sleeping in your den, then?"  
Tugger looked down at the smaller cat, "I have lovely long fur, as you have already so kindly pointed out. I don't feel the cold as you obviously do," Mistoffelees huffed, but he couldn't deny that the Rum Tum Tugger was being kind. As they reached the warm den, Mistoffelees' body relaxed and his back tingled from the temperature change. There were blankets covering everything, with a noticeable depression in a corner. The Rum Tum Tugger curled up in it instantly, watching Mistoffelees pick a dimple in the blanket to settle into. He grinned toothily at him, making the tux smile a small smile back at him, "Thanks," he said begrudgingly, "I appreciate it, Tugger," The big cat snuggled down in to his blanket, "No problem," he said dopily. Mistoffelees nodded, before doing the same. He fell asleep quickly, the warmth having a pleasant effect on the small cat. The Rum Tum Tugger watched him from his corner, lazily smiling at the way the smaller tom breathed; small puffs with big sighs breaking them up. He figured it was only fair, since he'd felt Mistoffelees watching him for a few long moments before he'd opened his eyes. He almost wished the dark cat had chosen to sleep closer to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Cats the musical, or any of the characters.

Mistoffelees snuggled deeper in to the warm cocoon of blankets, breathing in deeply. The scent was unfamiliar, but somehow welcome to the cat's groggy brain. His eyes fluttered open, and he suddenly became aware of where he was. He jerked his head from side to side, peering around the den. Quickly, Mistoffelees spotted the Rum Tum Tugger, still curled up in a deep sleep in the corner. He let out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding in. If he left now, Tugger might just think he'd imagined Mistoffelees sleeping there, or better yet, wouldn't even remember the previous evening. He felt a little embarrassed that he'd succumbed to the cold, and felt a twinge of a annoyance it was the Rum Tum Tugger, of all cats, who had offered him a warm place to sleep. It was kind of the bigger tom, but Mistoffelees really didn't want to let the other cats know he had slept in Tugger's den; they'd ask why, and the he would have to explain his inability to find a den, and then Jelly or Jenny or even Munkustrap might suggest he sleep in the kittens' den, which would be humiliating as well as frustrating. The kittens loved his magic, and he like dot do tricks for them, but Mistoffelees tried his best to spend time alone to practise, which would be near impossible if he had to spend morning and night with the kits. Trying to move as quietly as possible, he edged his way across the blankets, but it seemed that luck was not on his side today. That, or the Rum rum Tugger had impeccable hearing, for he rolled right over and scared the living daylights out of the tux.

"And, where do you think you're going at this hour?" He smiled frustratingly.

"I didn't want to disturb you, and I was already up. Thank you for letting me sleep here, Tugger, but I think I should probably leave now-" Mistoffelees' stammering was cut off and Tugger sprang up and pounced on him with a low growl, " And, why would that be?"

Mistoffelees cleared his throat, Tugger now straddling him. The close contact made his heart race a little, simply because he hadn't been in such close quarters with another cat for quite a length of time, "I, um, I didn't want, uh, I didn't think . . ." He trailed off. Tugger leant back, gazing down at Mistoffelees with a smirk growing on his face.

"Gonna finish any of those sentences? Or are you gonna curl back up to sleep a little longer?" Tugger slowly moved off him, his tail trailing across the tux's thighs. He was still smirking; Mistoffelees rearranged himself, preparing to make another argument, hopefully better constructed, when Tugger nuzzled his head, almost affectionately. Mistoffelees purred unintentionally, as a shiver ran down his back. Tugger's smirk grew wider. Mistoffelees slowly curled back up, this time with the Rum Tum Tugger right beside him.

Mistoffelees wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, curled up in the warm blankets, but it must have been much later when Tugger moved, stretching himself out as the small tux did the same. Tugger looked at Mistoffelees for a moment, with a strange expression on his face, "Hey, Mistoffelees?" The tux stopped his stretching to look up at the bigger tom, who padded closer to him, their noses almost touching, "You're going to stay here tonight as well." They held that gaze for a few long moments, before Mistoffelees nodded slowly, resigned to doing what Tugger told him. The warmth was intoxicating, the heady scent he'd smelled earlier clouding his thoughts. Tugger smiled with a mixture of mischief and satisfaction, before turning to walk out of the den. Mistoffelees followed, not quite sure what had just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, or any of the characters.

Mistoffelees' stomach twinged unpleasantly as he stepped out after Tugger in to the sunlight; a couple of kits were waiting for their favourite tom, but hadn't realised that their favourite magician might be appearing too. The were already squealing at Tugger, but when they laid eyes on Mistoffelees, their hysterical meowing became even louder.

"Mistoffelees!"

"Tugger! Mistoffelees?"

"What were you doing in Tugger's den, Misto?"

Only the kits called him 'Misto'. The last question came from Jemima, one of the quieter kits, who was known for being as sweet as her best friend, Victoria, even though Victoria had become a Queen almost a year earlier. Mistoffelees gave Tugger an exasperated look, before turning to Jemima with a softer expression, "I needed a warm den to sleep in, since it's getting colder now, Jemima," The kit nodded, satisfied, not asking what Mistoffelees knew the older cats were bound to ask; about the humiliating lack of his own den. Tugger grinned at Mistoffelees, laughing at his discomfort, before nodding his head towards the main clearing of the Junkyard.

Mistoffelees followed hesitantly, unsure about how he felt with the new friendship he seemed to have kindled with Tugger, although it wasn't as if they had been hostile before, he supposed. Mistoffelees tended to keep himself to himself, not because he disliked the rest of the cats, but simply because he was naturally quiet, and found it easier to practise his magic in private most of his time, rather than to stand awkwardly around cats he barely knew, listening to their conversation, hoping to join in. Everyone was used to his solitary way of living, and they would greet him when they saw him, but they all respected his boundaries. Tugger was a particularly loud cat, so Mistoffelees wasn't all that sure that sleeping in his den was a good idea, on top of the fact that it looked a little odd anyway. Taking a deep breath, he had to remind himself to calm down; he'd always been a bit of a worrier. Tugger wasn't, not by a long shot. Tugger was warm and social and animated, whereas Mistoffelees was quiet and introverted and lonely, even if he wouldn't quite admit it to himself.

Still focused on his breathing, Mistoffelees hadn't quite registered where Tugger was leading him, until they neared a group of cats close to the edge of the clearing. Munkustrap was talking to the group at large; Jellylorum, Demeter and Bombalarina being the only queens in the mix. Tugger easily fitted into the conversation, which seemed to be about increasing safety measures around the Junkyard, especially for the kits. Tugger made some comment about how Jemima was almost a Queen, and so was very capable of taking care of herself, and everyone made room for him, although there were a couple of disgruntled looks. Mistoffelees was a little taken aback at the ease with which Tugger had been accepted, wondering if he himself could pull that off, when Tugger happened to glance back at him, standing a few feet away. His brow creased, and he nodded his head, trying to get the black and white tom to join the conversation. Mistoffelees moved closer a little reluctantly, standing on the edge of the group. Tugger rolled his eyes obviously, and turned, nudging him further in to the group. Demeter had noticed Tugger's movement, and watched the interaction, confused.

"Hello, Mistoffelees," She aimed for a friendly, if a little quiet, greeting, trying not to make him feel uncomfortable. Mistoffelees looked up quickly, smiled a little and greeted her back, "Hello, Demeter," He didn't say anything else, for Munkustrap was still speaking, but it seemed Mistoffelees' luck wasn't with him, for Munkustrap had heard Demeter, and smiled a wide smile.

"Well, Mistoffelees! I haven't seen you in a while,"

Demeter resisted the urge to give a sigh at his lack of tact, although he hadn't been too awful, he had drawn attention to both, the young tom's absence from the main clearings of the Junkyard, but also the fact that Mistoffelees had actually joined the group. He shuffled uncomfortably, and opened his mouth to speak, when Tugger stepped in quite dramatically, "He's sleeping in my den, Munk," as if that answered more questions than it raised, and the poor black and white tom was stuck looking absolutely appalled as the group stared at Tugger and him. Demeter breathed in deeply, "Why is that, Tugger?"

"He was sleeping in a horrible box with rotten holes in, shivering half to death from the cold. I wasn't about to leave him there!" Tugger's chest puffed out a little, albeit unconsciously, but Demeter glanced at Mistoffelees, sympathy building in _her_ chest for the small tom. He looked utterly trapped.

"Well," Demeter attempted, "That's kind of you Tugger. What were you saying, Munk? About the safety precautions?" She hoped she hadn't made the question too pointed, but Munk caught her drift and began reiterating what he'd been saying before Mistoffelees had even gotten there. She stole another glance at him, and smiled what she hoped was a warm smile when she realised he was looking at her; he gave a little nod, as if to say _thank you._ She nodded back, and glanced up at the Rum Tum Tugger. It had pained her a little to call him kind, but if the story was true, he had indeed shown what little compassion he contained in his tiny heart. He was gazing at Mistoffelees, and Demeter guessed he was trying to read the expression on the younger tom's face. Mistoffelees was looking pensive, with his brow drawn together, biting his lip. She smiled again at the bafflement on Tugger's face; he had never been one for empathy. If Mistoffelees was going to be staying with Tugger for a little while, Everlasting Cat help his soul, she was going to have to have a few conversations with the Rum Tum Tugger about _treading carefully._


End file.
